


Time for an Upgrade

by YappiChick



Category: Halo
Genre: Angst, Gen, Post-Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-15
Updated: 2013-05-15
Packaged: 2017-12-12 00:05:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/804810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YappiChick/pseuds/YappiChick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cortana has been replaced. Post Halo 4.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time for an Upgrade

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Jackie and Dave -- the usual suspects.

_Cortana has been replaced, Master Chief._

The words, spoken in a matter-of-fact tone, replayed in his mind. 

John had barely processed the words that Osman had said after that. 

She slid a datapad across the desk, pulling him from his thoughts. “Under protocol 596.3 of Project: MJOLNIR, I am assigning another AI to work in tandem with your armor.” Underneath the layers of armor, he flinched. Osman continued as if she saw nothing. “Once your armor has been upgraded on board the _Infinity_ , Captain Lasky will deliver the new data crystal to you.”

She shrugged. “His name is Janus, if you’re interested.”

John wasn’t.

She leaned back in her chair without waiting for the reply that wasn’t forthcoming. “You are now under my direct command. Your orders will come from either me or ONI. Captain Lasky is permitted to ask for your assistance in other missions as long as they don’t conflict with your current objectives.” She crossed her arms. “Your...unique experiences with Forerunner artifacts and installations should prove useful.”

“Understood, ma’am.”

Osman looked at him for a second before speaking again. “The order to kill Doctor Halsey still stands, Master Chief.”

“I can’t follow that order.” For the first time in six months, there was fire behind his words.

“Can’t or won’t?”

John didn’t reply.

Her face softened for a fraction of a second, reminding him of a time when they were children. “I know we all would like to look at Halsey like a mother, John. But she _always_ chose science and the furtherance of her cause above all else. Over her own daughter. Over any sense of morality.”

He thought back to his last conversation with the doctor before she had fled with Kelly. There had been remorse in her voice. Guilt that pervaded the conversation. But, he wasn't going to argue with Osman. He knew she was set in her beliefs.

“However, your orders don’t concern Halsey. Commander Palmer doesn’t like to have unfinished business.” She straightened in her chair. “The _Infinity_ is going to a Forerunner installation known as the Repertory. It will be your job to work with Janus and secure it from any hostile threat.”

“Does ONI suspect there to be any problems?”

“Aren’t there always problems, Chief?”

/*-/*-/*-/*-/*-/*-/*-

The upgrades to his armor had been made, but John couldn’t bring himself to seek out Lasky. He couldn’t expedite the process to replace Cortana. 

Instead, he looked out the windows of the observation bay that he had stood in six months prior. Things hadn’t improved since the Composer had been destroyed. Requiem and the AI of the Librarian were no more; Halsey was with the enemy.

And now, he was expected to move past Cortana’s death and accept this new AI without any qualms.

“Somehow I knew I’d find you here.” Lasky’s voice cut through the air. He moved to stand next to the Spartan. “I know you’re probably not too crazy about your new assignment.”

Lasky cleared his throat before awkwardly confessing, “They wanted to give you another Cortana model.” 

John tensed. She had been right after all. 

The captain raised his eyebrows. “I told them that wasn’t a good idea.”

“Thank you, sir.” John’s voice was sincere.

“Not that it helps, but ONI is confident that the programming problems--” The word rampancy remained unspoken. “--that Cortana had won’t be an issue for this generation of smart AIs.”

It didn’t help, but John didn’t say anything. It wasn’t the captain’s fault that Cortana hadn’t survived. That she hadn’t been able to return to Earth to see if that programming could be implemented into her matrix.

No, John held himself accountable for that.

“Anyway,” Lasky held out his hand where the chip lay. “Here.”

John didn’t want to take it. He wanted to ignore Janus. Ignore the fact that Cortana was dead. Ignore the fact that he couldn’t get the guilt out of his mind. Ignore the UNSC. Ignore their orders to kill Halsey.

Ignore everything.

“It does get easier.” Lasky frowned. “Losing everyone. Everything that has meaning.” He looked out the window. “I mean, to us, years has passed since Reach. But, for you...”

John didn’t want Lasky’s sympathy. He wanted the impossible.

He wanted Cortana.

“I will be fine, sir.” With reluctant fingers, he plucked the chip from Lasky’s palm. 

“If you ever need to talk--” The captain gave a self-deprecating laugh. “I know. Not likely. But, I’m here.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Lasky turned around and left the Chief alone. He held the chip in his hand and looked out the window to the earth below.

Minutes passed. The _Infinity_ started to move away from the planet, moving towards their new destination.

It was time.

John raised his hand, chip in hand, and inserted the crystal in his helmet.

Instead of feeling like his brain had been doused with liquid ice, there was a slow warmth that spread throughout his mind. 

“Master Chief, it’s nice to finally be able to meet you.”

Seconds later, a video window appeared on John’s HUD. Unlike Cortana, this AI’s coloring was orange. His hair was cropped close to his skull and stubble dusted his face. 

“Janus.” He forced his voice to remain level even though he hated this. Still, the soldier in him forced him to move past his own emotions. “You have our new orders?”

“I do. ONI has been intercepting some interesting communication exchanged between the Covenant and a relay station on the Repertory. They think that the Didact might be there.”

John’s body went rigid. “Impossible.” 

“I’m just passing along what I know, sir. That’s the real reason we’re going out there.”

The Didact was alive? Had Cortana’s sacrifice been in vain?

No. The Composer had been destroyed.

But, if the Didact hadn’t died, then John finally had an objective --a _target_ \-- that he could focus on.

He had been unprepared when he had met the Didact the last time, but he promised himself that the next time he saw the Didact, he would be able to handle the Forerunner himself. 

There would be no need for anyone else to sacrifice themselves for his sake.

He would take care of the Didact on his own.

And, like when he played King of the hill when he was a child, he would do whatever it took to make sure he win.


End file.
